Richland County recognized by Cigna for commitment to employee health
August 26, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – Richland County has been named a Cigna Well-Being Award honoree for its commitment to improving the health and wellness of employees through its workplace programs.
The award from the international health service company recognizes the efforts of the Human Resources Department, which developed a five-year health and wellness strategic plan to improve employee’s health and save money.
“Cigna has always been a leader in driving health improvement in the workplace and we are committed to recognizing programs such as Richland County’s,” said Charlie Pitts, General Manager for Cigna.
Cigna, Richland County’s healthcare provider, created the Well-Being Award to recognize employer clients that have a positive impact on the health and well-being of their workers. Applicants, reviewed and judged by an internal review committee from Cigna, are evaluated based on the core components of their wellness program, including the goals, implementation, incentives, leadership engagement and employee participation.
“The health and wellness of Richland County employees and retirees has been one of our top priorities for many years,” said Dwight Hanna, Richland County Human Resources Director. “We’re extremely honored to be selected as a winner of the Cigna Well-Being Award.”
Richland County employees participate in health fairs, onsite seminars, physical challenges and more. In addition, Golden Apple Awards are presented to employees nominated by other employees for their wellness achievements, such as losing weight.
The County’s wellness program also evaluates and identifies trends that will provide healthcare cost savings. Employees who participate in the program receive a $600 reduction on their healthcare premiums for the year. Their participation in the program is tracked through Cigna’s web-based MotivateMe incentive program.
Hanna said the combination of Cigna’s technology platform and first-class professionals assigned to work with the County has resulted in numerous benefits. Cigna helped Richland County automate its wellness program, eliminating the reliance on paper records. And various wellness incentive options have helped employees and retirees achieve healthy lifestyle goals.
“Cigna has been an awesome partner for Richland County,” Hanna said.
